The check engine light analogy also doesn't fit because consumers can buy their own diagnostic tool for about $20 that will read the check engine light codes.

The perspective of @gharnett5548 might make sense from an installer's standpoint, but it doesn't make sense from the customer's standpoint. Why should a customer have to call in a professional installer every time they want to make some minor tweak to the programming of their remotes? Although not every customer is tech-savvy, many of them are quite capable of handling remote programming themselves. I guess URC has decided who they most want to please.